Omega x Swatch Moonswatch: Hundreds queue outside Edinburgh store as Moonswatch Mission to the Moon watch goes on sale

Edinburgh one of only three cities in the UK stocking The Mission to the Moon watch

It was a case of time repeating itself as a huge crowd gathered outside an Edinburgh watch store on Monday, as they desperately tried to get their hands on one of the hottest new timepieces around.

The Mission to the Moon watch is a long-awaited collaboration between Omega and Swatch, and Edinburgh is one of only three cities in the UK stocking the watch, alongside stores in Manchester and London.

The £228 watch was on sale for one day only, meaning those wanting to own one had to get out of their beds early.

A huge crowd gathered outside the Swatch store Edinburgh last year when the Moonswatch went on sale. Similar scenes tooj place on Monday (July 3) as shoppers queued to get their hands on the new Mission to Moonshine watch. Callum @Mullac42, Twitter.

In total, there are 11 Moonwatches in the range and each is based on a space theme and titled after a planet or moon.

Long lines began to form early this morning outside of Swatch on Princes Street, and soon the queue was snaking all the way up Frederick Street.

This Mission to the Moon is sold during the Mission to Moonshine Gold events, which take place during full moons in different locations around the world.

The watch has a seconds hand made of Omega’s Moonshine Gold. Inspired by the shining moonlight in a dark blue sky, Omega’s Moonshine Gold was created in 2019 and is an exclusive yellow gold alloy. As stated in the certificate that comes with the watch, this special seconds hand is produced exclusively once a month during full moon dates, which are known to have a magical influence on many things, humans included.

It's not the first time the release of a new watch has sparked a frenzy among shoppers in Scotland’s capital city.

In March 2022, hundreds of watch lovers formed similar a queue outside the same store when the original Moonswatch collaboration between Omega and Swatch went on sale.

That month, a central London watch store had to close amid chaotic scenes after large crowds turned up for the launch of the same watch.

The Swatch shop in Carnaby Street had warned customers to get there early in expectation of large queues as its Bio-Ceramic Moonswatch collection went on sale. But the store ended up opening for barely half an hour after police officers were seen speaking to store staff as crowds tried to get inside.